Thanks to all Ganoksinians (is that a word?) who commented on my
post…
It wasn’t my intention to rain on anyones’s parade… I just wanted
to express a different experience. Thanks for all of your
suggestions,… perhaps others will benefit from my experience and
this discussion.
Yes, I did try to make my own template… which worked fine to create
an outline, but the bolt holes on this mill are not on the outside,
they are on the underside of the cast mill base. On one hand, this is
a good thing, as it gives a cleaner look to the base and takes up
less space on the bench. On the other hand, the holes are not easily
accessible because of the lower hand wheel. So no, you cannot get a
drill bit in there, let alone a drill…or a pencil, or a transfer
punch, etc. Some smaller mills come with “external” bolt holes in the
base… so I can understand why some might have thought this was a
no-brainer…but this is not the case with this mill (D2-130).
Pictures are available on the Durston website in their (excellent)
Instruction Manual…if you want the visuals.
The mill weighs over 150 pounds (that’s not a complaint…!) which
for me is not an easy thing to move, let alone turn on it’s side as
one reader suggested (I’ve tried). Hey, I am relatively fit, but not
able to lift more than my own weight!. So what seems like a simple
solution to one person, is not necessarily so for everyone.
Yes, I’m handy enough to know how to drill through a 1BE inch wood
bench (yes, it’s sturdy enough), and thanks to the mill’s heavy
weight, I have been able to use the mill all this time (and very
happy with what I’ve been able to do with it), but I’d feel better
if it was mounted securely. All I asked for was a template. Were my
expectations too high? Over the years, I’ve had a new wall oven and
counter-top stove and a sink installed… each came with a mounting
template. I didn’t think I was asking too much.
The happy ending to this story is that I am communicating with
Matthew Durston off-line on this matter, and he is doing his utmost
to get me what I need. I am now a happy camper, and I can join in
the chorus of kudos for Durston. I also wanted to say thank you for
your comments. It’s nice to be part of this sharing community.
Sandy